Quite often when browsing stamps I come across items regarding certain people or subjects of which I previously had no knowledge. But that’s part of the fascination of stamp collecting as a hobby – it can be both intriguing and educational at the same time. This is a continuation of articles featuring the U.S.A. stamp series entitled “Black Heritage”. I thoroughly recommend further research of the lives of the persons featured in this series of articles.
Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937) was an American artist and the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim.
752 total views, 17 views today
Dancer with a Bouquet of Flowers is the title of a painting by Edgar Degas shown on a stamp in a series featuring famous composers with artwork by Degas, issued by Paraguay in 1980.
But some things were not quite right with the stamp! In the top right hand corner is an image of a bewigged gentleman. The caption declares him to be Juan Sebastian Bach. So one mistake is the translation of the name of the famous composer ‘Johann’ to the Spanish-language version ‘Juan’.
But sometimes sons can be mistaken for their fathers and there lies the biggest mistake!
983 total views, 17 views today
Quite often when browsing stamps I come across items regarding certain people or subjects of which I previously had no knowledge. But that’s part of the fascination of stamp collecting as a hobby – it can be both intriguing and educational at the same time. This is a continuation of articles featuring the U.S.A. stamp series entitled “Black Heritage”.
8,309 total views, 97 views today
A pair of stamps issued by the Republic of Chad in 1969 commemorated the travels of two German explorers of the continent of Africa.
The right-hand stamp has a portrait of 19th century German explorer Heinrich Barth (1821-1865) next to Lake Chad. Barth was one of the first Europeans to recognise the significance and richness of African history and culture. Travelling under the Arabic name Abd el Kerim, he crossed the Sahara desert and over the Air mountains into Central Africa.
1,387 total views, 19 views today
Quite often when browsing stamps I come across items regarding certain people or subjects of which I previously had no knowledge. But that’s part of the fascination of stamp collecting as a hobby – it can be both intriguing and educational at the same time.
For example, the stamp above from United States Postal Service’s Black Heritage series celebrates the achievements of Benjamin Banneker (1731–1826), who was a self-taught mathematician and astronomer.
7,552 total views, 12 views today
For Pope John Paul II’s visit to Austria in 1983, a postcard with a printed 3 schillings stamp, the ‘Bischofsmütze’, was produced as part of the ‘Get to know Austria’ postcard series. The card depicts the wooden image of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus, which is in the Mariazell Basilica, in Mariazell, Austria.
6,936 total views, 8 views today
Harry Potter is possibly the world’s most popular wizard, and author J.K. Rowling’s fictional character’s exploits have been the subject of many stamp issues.
The first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997 and almost immediately the character acquired cult status.
6,611 total views, 4 views today
If you think this is just a normal picture of a red fox you are mistaken. There is more to the image than that seen at first glance. Over the years the United States Postal Service has issued more than 40 stamps containing hidden words/images that require a specially-produced ‘Stamp Decoder’ to see what is not clearly visible on the stamps.
2,013 total views, 6 views today
….. the song with the above title has been recorded on more than 200 singles and albums and by many famous singers, including Bing Crosby, Connie Francis, John McCormack and Roger Whittaker. Ireland is a country renowned not only for its folk music but also for its rock stars.
1,809 total views, 4 views today
The ancestors of New Zealand’s Māori people arrived in canoes from Pacific islands before 1300 AD. The Māori had no written language and thus their history and legends were passed on orally from generation to generation, and through carving and weaving.
1,896 total views, 8 views today